Imaging array for bird or bat detection and identification

Abstract

An automated system for mitigating risk from a wind farm. The automated system may include an array of a plurality of image capturing devices independently mounted in a wind farm. The array may include a plurality of low resolution cameras and at least one high resolution camera. The plurality of low resolution cameras may be interconnected and may detect a spherical field surrounding the wind farm. A server is in communication with the array of image capturing devices. The server may automatically analyze images to classify an airborne object captured by the array of image capturing devices in response to receiving the images.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automated system for tracking an airborne object in a designated area, the automated system comprising:
 a detection tower; 
 a plurality of wide field of view (WFOV) cameras connected to the detection tower to monitor airspace in all approachable directions around a designated area surrounding and extending above the detection tower; 
 a tracking camera connected to the detection tower by a positioner to rotate and tilt the tracking camera to track the airborne object that is moving, wherein the tracking camera is configured to provide a high resolution image of the airborne object and to image the airborne object at a maximum distance of greater than or equal to 600 m; 
 wherein the plurality of wide field of view cameras are interconnected and are configured to image the airborne object at a maximum distance of greater than or equal to 600 m; and 
 a server in communication with the WFOV and tracking cameras, wherein the server analyzes images from the cameras to classify the airborne object captured by the cameras. 
 
     
     
       2. The automated system of  claim 1 , wherein the airborne object is an inanimate object that is moving in the designated area. 
     
     
       3. The automated system of  claim 2 , wherein the inanimate object is a drone or aircraft. 
     
     
       4. The automated system of  claim 2 , further comprising a determent system to disable the inanimate object moving in the designated area. 
     
     
       5. The automated system of  claim 4 , wherein the determent system comprises: an electromagnetic transmitter, a laser, a jamming signal transmitter, a gun, a projectile, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       6. The automated system of  claim 1 , wherein the designated area is an airport, a prison, a stadium, a research facility, a wind farm, a solar farm, a developmental area, a construction site, a national monument, a national park, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
       7. The automated system of  claim 1 , wherein the airborne object is an airborne animal. 
     
     
       8. The automated system of  claim 7 , wherein the designated area corresponds to a windfarm. 
     
     
       9. The automated system of  claim 8 , further comprising a controller to signal a wind turbine in the windfarm to curtail operation and/or signal a deterrent system to deploy a deterrent measure for the airborne animal identified as a protected species and as at risk from a wind turbine. 
     
     
       10. The automated system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller after the curtail operation, the controller continues to track the airborne animal with the tracking camera and for the airborne animal of the protected species at a decreased risk from the wind turbine the controller sends a signal to the wind turbine to resume normal operation. 
     
     
       11. The automated system of  claim 1 , wherein the WFOV cameras are interconnected to provide, in combination, substantially hemispherical coverage around the detection tower. 
     
     
       12. The automated system of  claim 11 , wherein the substantially hemispherical coverage corresponds to a distance of 600 m or greater from the detection tower. 
     
     
       13. The automated system of  claim 12 , wherein each wide field of view camera has a field of view that partially overlaps with another wide field of view camera. 
     
     
       14. The automated system of  claim 1 , wherein the positioner is a pan and tilt system. 
     
     
       15. The automated system of  claim 14 , wherein the tracking camera comprises a pair of high resolution cameras with overlapping fields of view to provide stereoscopic imaging for distance detection of the airborne object from the tracking camera. 
     
     
       16. The automated system of  claim 1 , further comprising a range finder or a radar to measure a distance of the airborne object from the automated system. 
     
     
       17. The automated system of  claim 1 , wherein the detection tower is a wind turbine tower and the airborne object is a bird or bat. 
     
     
       18. The automated system of  claim 17 , comprising a plurality of optical imaging sensor modules connected to the wind turbine tower at a height H above ground level and arranged around the wind turbine tower to provide a 360 degree field of view as measured in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the wind turbine tower. 
     
     
       19. The automated system of  claim 18 , wherein each optical imaging sensor module includes at least one of the WFOV cameras and the tracking camera comprises at least two high resolution cameras. 
     
     
       20. The automated system of  claim 1 , wherein the WFOV cameras are configured to provide a blob-like image of the airborne object at a distance between about 600 m and 1000 m and the tracking camera is configured to provide a sufficiently high resolution image to provide information on size, shape, color and/or flight characteristics to determine whether the blob-like image at the distance between about 600 m and 1000 m is a member of a protected species of a bird or a bat. 
     
     
       21. The automated system of  claim 1 , wherein an image of the airborne object captured from the tracking camera contains more pixels than an image of the airborne object captured by the wide field of view cameras. 
     
     
       22. The automated system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive and analyze images from the tracking camera and to determine from the high resolution images whether or not the airborne object is of a protected species for which risk is to be mitigated, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the airborne object of a protected species is at risk of being hit by a wind turbine based on the tracking camera and/or wide field of view cameras; 
 wherein when such a determination is made, the controller is configured to send a first signal to the wind turbine to curtail its operation; and 
 further wherein the controller is configured to track the protected species through the tracking camera, and is configured to send a second signal to the wind turbine to resume normal operation upon determining that there is no longer a risk from the wind turbine to the airborne object of a protected species based on the images received from the tracking camera and/or WFOV cameras.